Tuesday, January 04, 2011

Loving your Muslim Neighbours

Over at CT, Jason Hood has written a stimulating article on what it means to love our Muslim Neighbors in Muslims in Evangelical Churches. Would you allow Muslims to use your church as a worship sanctuary while their mosque is being repaired?

4 comments:

I would like to read reflections on this question. I do not view a church building as 'sacred space' yet I would be most reluctant for it to be used for a purpose I disapprove. I disapprove of all other religions; they are idolatrous.

I disapprove of many other activities too (pornography, same-sex marriages, wild parties, hate-rallies, casinos etc). I would not wish my church building to be used for activities that dishonour God.

On the other hand, if the church did not own the building, I would have no propblem in principle with hiring a building used by groups I disapprove. The dynamics of the situation are different. In the former, I have responsibility for what I do with property I own. In the latter, no such responsibility exists.

Maybe churches would be more flexible (and free) if they owned no buildings?

I understand the heart of these pastors, but I would probably not allow a Mormon, Jehovah's Witness or Wiccan group to use the church's grounds for worship. I have a hard time believing that Jesus would sanction worship to anything other to his father as well. Jesus could be pretty exclusive at times (John 14.6).

And the non-ownership of a church building is an interesting question! My church makes great use of our building- a group of us stay in between services on Sunday to fellowship (and read and take a nap!), a local Christian educational consortium has used it for classes, we use it for several book studies). I would say it would depends on how much you use the building.

Contributors

Readers

Books by Ourselves

Amazon Search Engine

Bible Works 8

Logos Bible Software

Accordance

Michael Bird as One of the Church Fathers

You’re St. Melito of Sardis!

You have a great love of history and liturgy. You’re attached to the traditions of the ancients, yet you recognize that the old world — great as it was — is passing away. You are loyal to the customs of your family, though you do not hesitate to call family members to account for their sins.

Joel Willitts as One of the Church Fathers

You’re St. Justin Martyr!

You have a positive and hopeful attitude toward the world. You think that nature, history, and even the pagan philosophers were often guided by God in preparation for the Advent of the Christ. You find “seeds of the Word” in unexpected places. You’re patient and willing to explain the faith to unbelievers.